A Blend of History and Nature in Hope’s Neighborhood

30 May A Blend of History and Nature in Hope’s Neighborhood

On Thursday May 23^rd, Hope’s fifth grade class walked four blocks from the school to Fair Hill Burial Ground—a 300-year old Quaker burial ground and a site on the National Register of Historic Places. After learning about the Underground Railroad and influential abolitionists buried there, the students visited the historic cemetery to see the tombstones of these important people and to see murals painted in their honor.

While at the cemetery, the students also learned about nature and the various trees and animals that live in the graveyard. Some students even ate wild strawberries! The students learned how to plant tomato seeds, pick mint, and hold worms.

“I loved this field trip,” said Evanna Baker. “My favorite part was eating garlic from the ground.”

“We loved climbing all the trees!” said many of the students.

In the days prior to the class trip to Fair Hill, the students were assigned an influential figure from the Underground Railroad to research. During the field trip, students would search for their researched person among the graves or mural paintings and tell the class about him or her. Historical figures buried at Fair Hill include: Lucretia Mott and Robert Purvis (“The President” of the Underground Railroad).

The trip to the Fair Hill Burial Ground was a great way to reinforce the history material that the fifth grade class has been learning.